What's eating my hook sedge?

Hook Sedge (Uncinia rubra) is a hardy ornamental sedge that rarely suffers serious pest damage. Slugs and snails will graze the copper-red leaves in damp conditions. Aphids can colonise new spring growth. Vine weevil grubs are the main hidden threat in container plantings. Deer and rabbits largely leave it alone.

Chewed or notched leaf edges near the soil, with telltale slime trails after rain. Apply iron phosphate pellets around the clump; use grit mulch to discourage slug movement; hand-pick at night.

Soft insect colonies on young shoots in spring causing sticky, distorted foliage. Blast with water; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage ladybirds and hoverflies.

Adults notch leaf margins; white grubs destroy roots of pot-grown plants causing sudden collapse. Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist potting mix in late summer.